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Utsukushima Fukushima Story
The four seasons of Fukushima
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The Flower of Fukushima
Flowers are bursting into bloom,Impatient after winter's gloom.
To celebrate that spring's begun,
A flower fairy, dewdrops-spun,
Begins her dance beneath the sun.
Fukushima spring has come again,
Flowers shower every glen.
Like petals at the rainbow's end,
Dancing in the warm spring breeze,
A Shangri-la of cherry trees.
Sunset comes later with each passing day. People jump for joy in the exhilaration of spring. Petals flutter over the gray landscape, as if filling the air with tiny lights.
Flower fairies finally wake from their long sleep and begin to dance amid a kaleidoscope of color.
Pastel peach blooms and rape blossoms transform spring's return into a pageant of color. At the time when the familiar "Snow Rabbit" formed by remnant snow appears on the green mountainside, the people of Fukushima are filled with enthusiasm with the advent of another bright spring and Nature's rebirth.
The four seasons tumble dramatically one upon the other in Fukushima.
The seasonal transitions teach us both the severity and gentleness of nature. It is said that three kinds of spring--plum blossom, peach blossom, and cherry blossom--follow in succession in Miharu-no-sato (Miharu village). Old trees with rugged bark bear blossoms in full bloom on their countless branches. Their roots extend deeply into the land while above ground the aged sentinels stand strict but patient watch over each season of the year.
With echoing cries of joy, gaiety returns to every holiday resort and cherry-blossom-viewing spot. People deeply inhale the familiar and comfortable air and enjoy its refreshing texture. Amid the aura of flower gardens' soil, we appreciate the mountains, rivers, and bright skies that bring us our overflowing cornucopia.
We have flowers from northern countries and other blooms fond of warm climates. The botanical northern and southern limits overlap in Fukushima. You can enjoy myriad kinds of flowers with the joy of someone actually taking care of them. Walking around the villages and along the river, you can also revel in the warm atmosphere and ways of living of the people who nurture the flowers.
As news spreads of imminent cherry blossoms, flower-lovers become restless. Some are fascinated by the dignity of flowers in their full bloom, lamenting the buds' fleeting lives. Other people think about winsome flowers blossoming quietly on steep mountains far away. They forget the passage of time, becoming lost in admiration of flowers that are serenely reflected in the stillness of mirroring waters.
Traveling on the trail of Fukushima flowers blooming amid rugged natural conditions, we cannot escape being overcome by a feeling of warmth and kindness.
[ The Flower of Fukushima | Morning in Fukushima | The road of Fukushima | The water of Fukushima ]
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